Science

We've seen 3D printers churn out amazing things, sometimes even unbelievable things, and once in a while ridiculous things. But what if 3D printing could do something amazing, selfless, and heart-warming as well? That can definitely happen with a bit of imagination, creativity, science, and the will to put the technology to even better use, as in this case of Derby, a handicapped canine that was able to experience first hand the empowering benefits of 3D printing. With a little help from humans, of course.

The NOAA/NASA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite has been in space for quite a long time now performing its various scientific missions. NASA and its partner have used the satellite more recently to determine just how many people have put up outdoor holiday decorations including lots of lights.

NASA has just reached another breakthrough in its exploration of Mars' landscape and history. Barely two weeks after revealing their findings and theories about the Gale Crater, the scientists are now announcing that the Mars Rover has found two things: a tenfold spike in methane gas as well as organic molecules in rock-powder drilled by the robot. These two organic materials could help in learning more about Mars and its history as well as helping predict its viability as a habitat in the future.

A company called PocketQube has announced new kits for the homebuilder that allows you to make your own small cube satellite. When completed the satellite measures 5cm to a side and if you don’t want to build your own, you can buy a PocketQube that is built and ready to go. Each of the PocketQube bundles include all parts needed for construction.

SpaceX has announced that during its next flight of the Falcon 9 rocket, it will attempt a precision landing of the first stage of the rocket on a special platform floating at sea. SpaceX calls that platform the autonomous spaceport drone ship. Previously SpaceX has used soft water landings to allow it to recover the first stage of the rocket.

The LEAF, short for Large European Acoustic Facility, will never host the world's biggest music show and for good reason. This large facility, built in the name of science, produces only noise. And not just noise, mind you, but noise that could potentially blow your head off from your ears if you happened to still be inside the chamber when it blasts spectral noise, believed to be the loudest in the world. Luckily, no one has been reported to have suffered that fate yet.

It sounds like a scene from a sci-fi flick. Or a horror film. Take your pick. Scientists of the future have finally found a way to digitize our brains and store them in storage disks (or Dilithium crystals for more capacity). One day you're human and the next day you find yourself in the body of an android. OK, this experiment might not exactly be that sensational, unless you happen to be a roundworm whose suddenly finds itself with the body of a LEGO robot.

Project Loon, Google's initiative to bring affordable, high-speed internet to the entire world via hot air balloons acting as floating hotspots, is getting some new help from CNES, France's space agency. Google is relying on CNES's over 50 years of experience and research with high-altitude balloons to bring this project closer to reality.

We are still quite far from a time in which we can enjoy hoverboards as depicted in the movie Back to the Future II, but with more and more creations like the Aero-X hoverbike or the magnet-powered Hendo hoverboard, we are certainly getting closer. But with creations like those costing at least several thousands of dollars, where's the low-tech, do-it-yourself option? Well, now it's here, thanks to Mr. Hoverboard.

Prosthetic devices are far more advanced than they were even a decade ago, and thanks to technologies like 3D printing we've seen some unusual (and awesome) contenders surface. Of course, movement is only half the battle with prostheses, with touch being the other half of the equation. Different researchers have been working on that issue extensively, and the result has been creations like the touch-sensitive "skin" for robots we saw back in 2013.